Encouraging Learning

荀子Bashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

4.7

Word count: 1.4K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

"Quan Xue" ("Encouraging Learning") is the opening chapter of the Xunzi, also known as the "Quan Xue Pian." To encourage learning is to urge people to study. The chapter systematically discusses the theory and methods of learning. The first part (the first paragraph) discusses the importance of learning; the latter part (the second and third paragraphs) discusses the steps, content, and methods of learning and related questions.

Editor's review

"Quan Xue" is the opening work of the Xunzi. Though titled "Encouraging Learning," it systematically sets out the meaning, methods, and paths of learning. Lines such as "Blue comes from the indigo plant yet is bluer than the plant" and "Without accumulating small steps, one cannot reach a thousand li" have long entered common Chinese knowledge and become classic expressions urging devotion to study. This Bashu Press edition presents the piece as a stand-alone book, making concentrated study convenient. Its value is twofold: first, it presents the core thread of Xunzi's educational thought thematically, moving clearly from the importance of learning to its steps, content, and paths; second, the text itself combines philosophical depth with literary power, abounding in metaphor and tightly reasoned, and rewards repeated recitation. It can serve as an entry reader for classical literature and intellectual history, and is also suited to teachers guiding classroom discussion of "why learn and how to learn." Note that this is a single selected chapter; to understand Xunzi's thought fully, one must still return to the complete Xunzi.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Classical literature readers interested in pre-Qin prose who want to start with short pieces
Language teachers who need classroom material and want to guide students in discussing learning methods
Middle-school students and self-learners preparing for classical recitation or close-reading practice
General readers who like aphoristic reasoning and want to reflect on study habits through classical texts

Not a good fit for

Scholarly readers expecting the complete annotated Xunzi with systematic philosophical analysis
Readers with weak classical Chinese who want vernacular stories or modern study-skills handbooks

Reading tips

Read the original once through without demanding word-by-word mastery, feeling the rhythm of linked metaphors and step-by-step reasoning.
On the second pass, work through it paragraph by paragraph with annotations: the first paragraph on the importance of learning, the last two on steps, content, and paths, keeping brief structural notes.
Copy out famous lines such as "blue comes from the indigo plant" and "persevere without giving up," and write a hundred-word comment connecting them to your own learning experience.
If possible, read alongside other chapters of the Xunzi or related annotated editions, so as not to take a single chapter for the whole book.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
劝学第六十四

FAQ

Is "Quan Xue" a stand-alone work or a chapter of the Xunzi?

"Quan Xue" is the opening chapter of the Xunzi, also known as the "Quan Xue Pian"; it is not a stand-alone work. This Bashu Press edition publishes it separately for concentrated reading of this topic, but the content remains part of the Xunzi text.

Can I read this book without a foundation in classical Chinese?

You can try, but you will need annotations and reference tools. The piece has many metaphors and a relatively clear line of reasoning, making it suitable for close reading of classical Chinese; with no foundation at all, start with a heavily annotated edition or read alongside a translation, gradually building up common content words and sentence patterns.

What does one mainly gain from reading "Quan Xue"?

First, an understanding of Xunzi's systematic discussion of the importance, steps, content, and paths of learning; second, an appreciation of the pre-Qin argumentative prose style, which excels at metaphor and step-by-step development; third, through the classic lines, a chance to reflect on one's own study attitudes and methods and to draw lasting encouragement.

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About the author

荀子 Author

Xunzi is one of the representative figures of pre-Qin Confucianism and is generally known by the honorific name "Xunzi"; reliable public information about his real name, native place, and dates of birth and death is limited, making them difficult to verify. The library holds 24 of his works, with representative titles including Xunzi, Fei Shi Er Zi (Against the Twelve Masters), Quan Xue (Encouraging Learning), Fu Guo (Enriching the State), Li Lun (A Discussion of Rites), Xunzi (Fine Public Domain Edition), Jie Bi (Dispelling Blindness), and Tian Lun (A Discussion of Heaven). In terms of subject matter, these pieces span philosophical argument, discussion of ritual institutions, and prose miscellanies. They offer systematic reflection on human nature, Heaven and the Way, and problems of knowledge, while also displaying a rhetorical style that advances step by step and persuasively employs analogies, often using everyday examples to illuminate abstract ideas. His works circulate widely in the categories of Eastern philosophy and philosophical reading, and have had a lasting influence on later Confucian thought and argumentative prose writing.